Touching Eden
by Black Beyond
Summary: A romancedrama fic set in the Stars season. Usagi changes everything by making a single decision to love.
1. Chapter One Lovers They May Be

Touching Eden  
  
Black Beyond  
  
Rating: PG13  
  
Chapter One: Lovers They May Be  
  
--  
  
This is just something I've been writing for fun, because I hate Mamoru Chiba and I've always loved this pairing. I can't promise it'll be the best fic in the world, nor can I promise you'll like the ending. This is the first chapter and I'll have the others out to you as soon as they're done. Don't expect this to be very long, but you never know.  
  
:/  
  
I'm still debating on whether to finish my old fics. If you really want to see them finished, drop me a line.  
  
And now, with the first chapter. ^^ Baibai!!  
  
--  
  
http://www.geocities.com/lablackbeyond  
  
black_beyond@hotmail.com  
  
YIM: lovelyfairyqueen  
  
AIM: bbchansama  
  
--  
  
His pants were strewn across the arms of the chair. She looked at them, a detached glaze covering her eyes. He watched her, confused as she hugged herself and turned away from him.   
  
He was struck with a heavy sense of guilt and wrong. She looked about twelve years old at that moment, her closed eyes making him feel distinctly uneasy. He reached out to lay one supposedly comforting arm on her shoulder, but she shook it off like his touch burned her.   
  
His brow furrowed.   
  
"I-- I have to go now." She muttered, scooping up her shirt on the floor and tugging it over her head. The cotton fabric stretched, and he opened his mouth to object, sitting up quickly as she pulled on her underwear and her pants.   
  
He closed his mouth again when he saw that she was shivering, hard. Confusion flooded his brain completely.  
  
"Usagi--"   
  
She tensed and swiftly picked up her shoes. "I have to go." She repeated, and fled his apartment, slamming the door behind her. He frowned.   
  
"What did I do wrong?" He asked, as he yanked on a pair of boxers. His brother stuck his head around the frame of his bedroom door.   
  
"Why did she leave so suddenly? What did you do, you idiot?" He asked scathingly, but worry lurked in his eyes.   
  
Seiya shook his head, his hair, loose from the ponytail that usually confined it, shook with it. "I have no idea. I really have no idea. We... and then she... I don't know what happened." He gestured wildly as he spoke, putting on his pants as he did.  
  
Yaten quirked his eyebrow. "You don't know what you did." He repeated, disbelievingly, watching his brother get dressed faster than he had ever seen the man dress before.   
  
"Shut up, Yaten." Seiya exploded. "I'm going after her."  
  
"If you hurt her, we're all dead." Yaten remembered very clearly the evil glares Seiya had received from Usagi's friends.   
  
"Shut UP, Yaten!" He blew past his brother and was out the door, running in the direction Usagi must have taken. He heard footsteps behind him and cursed Yaten very loudly for being a nosy son of a bitch.   
  
After a couple minutes of frustrated running, he caught a glimpse of gold down a side street. He turned automatically and almost ran over Usagi, who was crouched down in the darkness, silent sobs wracking her petite frame.  
  
Seiya froze, and then quickly dropped down beside Usagi, gathering her close to him. She clung to him hard, and began crying in earnest. Confused even more than before, he held her as Yaten came up to them, breathing as hard as Seiya was from the exertion of running so fast.  
  
"Usagi, Usa-chan, what's wrong?" Seiya breathed into her hair. She shook her head and let out a long, shuddering sigh and wept more quietly.  
  
Shooting a look at his brother, who was staring at them in bewilderment, Seiya collected Usagi into his arms and stood up, noting with concern how light she was.  
  
"What's wrong?" Yaten whispered.   
  
Seiya shrugged and began the walk back to their apartment, hoping against God that he met none of Usagi's protective friends before he found out what was bothering his lover. She had never done this before. He had had to wake her up from a few nightmares before, but nothing like this...  
  
Halfway back, she returned to some measure of coherence. "You can put me down, you know, I can walk." She choked out, snuggling deeper into his arms. He smiled uncertainly at her.  
  
"I know, but I like carrying you."  
  
She laughed, a harsh sound that Yaten started to hear from her delicate lips. "Because it makes you feel more manly." She taunted, rubbing at her cheeks, trying to erase the tearstains there.  
  
"Usagi, why were you crying?" Yaten asked, after Seiya did not. Usagi closed her eyes and put her face against the warm fabric of Seiya's shirt.  
  
"Anniversary. Of something you don't want to know about." He managed to make out from her muffled words.  
  
"Of what?" He insisted.  
  
She lifted her head to glare at him. "Of the day I met the talking cat."  
  
His eyes widened. "Oh." He said inadequately.  
  
Her secret had not remained a secret long with them. The first time she had been beeped by the senshi while she and Seiya were busy, she had cursed at a face Seiya had recognized as Sailor Mars that she did not want to fight a youma, she was in the middle of-- a Sailor V game.   
  
Seiya had laughed, almost hysterical, when she turned the watch off and turned back to him, face red. "You're a Sailor senshi?" He had asked, shaken.  
  
She had turned even more red as she ran her hand nervously over his arm. "Yes... does it matter?"  
  
She soon saw the point of his initial laughter.  
  
"How can you be a girl and a boy at the same time?" It had sparked the curiosity inside Usagi, resulting in a blush from Seiya as he explained.  
  
Usagi remembered that now, and stifled a giggle. "I'm sorry." She sobbed again. "I'm just... I don't like to be reminded... and... I'm just emotional. Bad time for me. After you die so many times, you start associating bad memories with it."   
  
Seiya hugged her tightly before letting her down to walk up the stairs. "I understand, Usagi... just don't scare me like that again. I thought maybe... I don't know."  
  
She smiled through unshed tears at him. "I'm sorry. I'll make it up to you." She added, wickedly. He grinned at her and Yaten made a retching noise.   
  
"It's bad enough as it is..." He complained loudly, as they walked up to the apartment.   
  
"The house is soundproofed, Yaten, what the hell are you complaining about?" Seiya demanded, shoving his brother, almost making him fly down a flight of stairs. Usagi laughed.   
  
A pair of angry eyes followed them as they rounded out of sight, Usagi clinging onto Seiya's arm contentedly.  
  
The owner of these eyes turned to her companion.  
  
"I didn't believe it. I didn't believe it." She said incredulously to the small cat beside her. "What are we going to do?"  
  
Artemis sniffed. "What is there to do, Rei? It's her life."  
  
The priestess's face scrunched up. "It's only Seiya, right? You don't think... ew. No, it's gotta be just Seiya. Should we tell the others?"  
  
Artemis stared at her. "Usagi must have good reasons for keeping this from you all. It was wrong of you to come here, Rei."  
  
Rei scowled at him. "I sensed her distress. You didn't expect me to not come, did you? It's your fault I didn't call the rest of the senshi."  
  
"And it's a good thing, too!" Artemis matched her expression. "This is none of our business, Rei. Usagi's just as good as an adult. If she wants to have a relationship with this man, then that's her business."  
  
Rei frowned. "But there's something not right about the three of them, Artemis. I have to keep her safety in mind. Did you see her? She'd been crying."  
  
"And she was being consoled. They evidently care about her."  
  
"I don't trust them."  
  
"Rei, this is Usagi's mistake to make."  
  
Rei turned to smirk evilly at him. "She wasn't wearing a bra, did you notice?"  
  
Artemis turned a strange color under his fur. "Rei!"  
  
---  
  
Usagi was late to the next senshi meeting, and when she finally arrived, it was with damp hair and no makeup. The other girls gave her strange looks as Rei smirked.  
  
Usagi flushed. "I just got out of the shower." She murmured.  
  
"Any company with it?" Rei inquired, and grinned as color crept up into the pale girl's face.  
  
"Of course not." Usagi glowered. "We could ask Yuichiro about his showers and what company he has with them, if you'd like, Rei." She added, and it was Rei's turn to blush.  
  
"No, that's alright." Rei stammered. Artemis shot her a look, and the other three senshi looked at one another, bemused.   
  
Minako leaned over to Usagi, grinning. "Ah, is there someone we should know about, Usagi?" She winked. Usagi swallowed.   
  
"No, Minako." She lied, smiling. "Now, what did I miss?"  
  
Luna jumped onto the table and glared at her mistress reproachfully. "If you were at home more, I could tell you what was going on. Disappearing at all hours of the day and night... your mother is very worried!"   
  
Usagi fixed Luna with a defiant stare. "So it's wrong of me to lead a life outside the usual senshi business?" She demanded.  
  
"So there IS someone!" Makoto crowed. "Tell us about him, Usagi! What does he look like? Ohhh, what is Mamoru going to think!"  
  
Usagi paled. "I don't care what Mamoru thinks." She said stiffly. "if this is all this meeting's going to be about, I have other places to be."  
  
Luna narrowed her eyes. "So you've been out all this time with a boy?"  
  
Usagi laughed. "Not exactly." She sat down beside Ami, who had been watching silently. Ami gave Usagi a searching look, and knew almost instantly where Usagi had been. She would recognize that cologne anywhere.  
  
She diligently kept her mouth shut as the other four girls got into an argument. Usagi refused to tell them the name of her mysterious new attachment, while Rei lorded it over her that she suspected who but also wouldn't tell, as Minako and Makoto tried to pry it out of them.  
  
The two Lunar cats regrouped in the window sill.   
  
Luna shot a glare at Artemis. "I suppose you knew about this?"  
  
Artemis went red. "It wasn't my business to tell, Luna."  
  
"Something comes between the most faithful couple in known history and you don't see fit to inform me!" Luna was raging.   
  
"Luna, Usagi hasn't been happy in that relationship ever since Chibi-usa came around." Artemis replied gently. "Haven't you seen that?"  
  
Luna glared. "You're seeing things. She was perfectly happy until he left to go to America. This is just a cry for attention. she's just lonely."  
  
Artemis sighed and turned back to the conversation at hand.  
  
"Usagi, just tell us, we won't make fun if it's like Umino or someone..." Minako wheedled. Usagi shook her head.   
  
"What's going on?" A deep voice boomed from the doorway. They looked up to see Haruka and Michiru standing in the doorway. All the blood drained out of Usagi's face.  
  
This was not lost on Makoto. She blinked, and then hissed in Usagi's ear,   
  
"Are you sleeping with Haruka?!"  
  
Usagi snorted. "Yeah, right, Mako-chan." She laughed. "I have to go, everyone, as this meeting has been nothing except gossip. It was good to see you, goodbye..."  
  
She attempted to brush past the tall blonde, but Haruka's hand shot out and caught Usagi's arm.  
  
"Is that a man's cologne?" She asked, disbelievingly.  
  
Usagi blinked and said nothing, only stared at the floor.   
  
Michiru paused. "Haruka, let go." She said finally. Haruka's eyes narrowed, but complied.   
  
"We'll talk about this, Koneko." She told Usagi, who darted out of the shrine like the hounds of hell were on her heels.  
  
Haruka surveyed the room. "Someone had better tell me something."  
  
Ami snapped her computer shut and smiled. "She won't say if she's seeing someone or not." She explained, before Rei could say anything. "I'm sure it's just a passing fling. Why don't we talk business for a few moments? I got some interesting readings on the last youma we fought..."  
  
----  
  
This youma did not like Sailormoon in particular. Even after the other senshi repeatedly attacked it, it kept turning for the blonde soldier. The Starlights watched worriedly from a nearby hiding place, following the battle silently.  
  
The youma had been random and without command, terrorizing people all over the city. The Starlights had been spotted only momentarily a few times before by the other senshi, and the senshi were generally mistrustful of them. They did not understand Usagi's vehement defense of the unknown soldiers.  
  
"Maybe we should go help." Sailor Star Fighter hissed to her sisters. Sailor Star Maker sent him a funny look.  
  
"And get fried by the senshi?" Sailor Star Healer asked. "They can take care of themselves. They'll protect your precious Usagi."  
  
Fighter shot her the dirtiest glare she could muster. "Bitch."  
  
Their attention was drawn back to the battlefield, a not extremely busy section of street in uptown Tokyo, by a loud, pain-filled scream.   
  
The youma had managed to imbed one of the large, sharp spikes it had been throwing in Sailor Jupiter's shoulder, as the larger senshi had thrown herself in front of her leader. Sailormoon's eyes narrowed and she sent her tiara flying at the youma, only to miss. She grabbed Jupiter and half dragged the injured warrior from the danger area.  
  
Momentarily, her back was turned to the youma and the other senshi were occupied in trying to distract it. It saw its chance.  
  
It leapt through a hole in the senshi defense and raced for the small girl's back.   
  
"Star Serious Laser!" Fighter screamed, cutting the youma across his face as she dove to Sailormoon's defense, startling the senshi who had turned, too late to help.  
  
"Fighter!" Sailormoon whispered thankfully. She drew out her scepter while the youma was busy inspecting his wounds.   
  
"Rainbow Moon Heart Ache!" The youma called out, and vanished into a pile of gray, fading dust. Sailormoon squealed in happiness and turned to her savior, throwing herself at the tall soldier in a hard hug.  
  
"Thank you!"  
  
Watching the senshi, who drew nearer suspiciously, Fighter tentatively hugged the smaller girl back. "You're welcome, Sailormoon."  
  
"Why did you do that?" Sailor Mars demanded.   
  
"Get away from her." Jupiter snarled, leaning painfully against a lamppost. Electricity crackled in the air around her.  
  
Sailormoon sighed and for a moment, her body went a little slack in defeat. "I'm sorry about them." She whispered in Fighter's ear, who took the apology without comment or signal she had heard.   
  
Fighter stepped away from Sailormoon, hands open to the four angry senshi. "As you weren't doing such a bang up job of watching your leader's back, I decided to save her from possible death. Forgive me for my sins." She spat the words at them.   
  
Mercury looked a bit shocked, and Venus looked away. Mars all but growled.   
  
"We can protect her just fine!" She snapped.   
  
Fighter's face twisted into a sarcastic mockery of disbelief. "Of course you can."   
  
"Fighter!" Sailormoon hissed. "Don't make it worse, please?"  
  
Jupiter was close enough to hear this plea, and she was confused for a very short second.   
  
"Maybe you should leave." She threatened, putting her hands together in a gesture Fighter recognized as the beginning of one of her attacks.   
  
Sailor Star Fighter nodded to Sailormoon and darted out of sight, to where her two sisters were waiting, exasperated with their sister's antics.   
  
"Moron!" Healer muttered.  
  
"Are you okay, Sailormoon?" Mercury asked, stepping forward. Sailormoon waved her away.  
  
"It's Jupiter that needs help." Blood was streaming from the Jovian's shoulder.  
  
"Come on, Jupiter, we'll get you to the hospital." Venus took Jupiter's good arm and Mercury followed them as they walked from the street, which had become very empty at the first sighting of the youma, who had been extremely tall and covered in the spines that it had sent flying every which way.  
  
Mars hesitated. "Why do you trust them, Sailormoon?" She asked, as they watched the three senshi turn the corner.   
  
"Trust the Starlights?" Sailormoon asked. "Because they have done nothing to betray my trust."  
  
Mars shook her head. "We know nothing about them."  
  
Sailormoon said suddenly, with savagery that surprised the red senshi, "That's what you said about Tuxedo Kamen, too, and look what he turned out to be."  
  
Mars blinked. The rage in Sailormoon's voice was completely uncalled for. "What does that mean, Odango Atama?"   
  
Sailormoon turned her back on her friend. "Nothing. Just leave me alone, Rei-chan."  
  
Mars started to object, but sighed. "Fine, Usagi." She walked away, opposite the direction Usagi was facing.  
  
Had she not turned around, just before she turned the corner, she would have seen nothing. Ignorance would have surrounded her for a few more minutes, a few more days, maybe forever.  
  
She turned around to see the three Starlights advance out of their hiding place and approach Sailormoon, who must have smiled at them. Mars turned around completely, reading to yell a warning, when Sailormoon rushed into Sailor Star Fighter's arms, who picked her up and embraced her tightly for the second time that day.  
  
Mars faltered. Sailormoon didn't know them that well.  
  
She felt her stomach and jaw drop to her ankles when Sailormoon reached up and caught Fighter's lips in a kiss, a kiss that was a lot more friendly than it should have been. She watched as Healer shoved Fighter slightly, the sound of her voice carrying to let Mars know she had said something biting and sarcastic.  
  
Mars gaped. Usagi didn't like other girls like that... or... she had never shown those feelings around her friends... certainly not to Haruka, who they all knew had a rather serious crush on the small blonde...  
  
Sailormoon walked off with the three mysterious senshi, and left Mars to blink and be extremely confused with what she had just seen.   
  
"I wish Artemis were here..." She muttered, powering down and running in the direction of the temple, where she could consult the fire and calm her frazzled nerves.  
  
She passed by the Arcade and glance inside, and took a double take to see Haruka. Making a split second decision, she stepped inside and walked up to the blonde, who was alone, playing a racing game.  
  
"Has Usagi ever liked you back?" She demanded suddenly, making Haruka jump and spin around.  
  
"What?" She asked, and winced as she heard her car wreck behind her. "What did you say?" She snapped irritably.  
  
Rei paused. "Has Usagi ever liked you back?" She repeated.  
  
Haruka blinked. "... huh?" She cringed to feel a blush creeping up the back of her neck.   
  
"Has Usagi ever kissed you, or flirted back with you, or anything?"  
  
Haruka stared at her. "Why are you asking?"  
  
Rei made a sound of frustration. "Just answer the question, Haruka-kun!"  
  
Haruka shook her head. "She flirted with me a couple of times, but I think that was before she knew about me. She's never kissed me... why are you asking? Did something happen?"  
  
Rei's face was very peculiar. "I just saw her kissing another girl."  
  
Interest lit up Haruka's face. "Who?"  
  
Rei shook her head. "I've never seen her act like that, Haruka... first she's sleeping with another man, and now she's kissing a woman..."  
  
Haruka's eyebrows shot up and her eyes narrowed. "A man has been sleeping with her? Who?" Her voice suggested he was in a great deal of danger.  
  
Rei shook her head again. "No one," she said hastily. "I'm just worried, Haruka... she's never acted like this before. What about Mamoru?"  
  
Haruka snorted. "This is beautiful. Simply beautiful. I never thought the princess... this is beautiful." She was laughing, tears of pure mirth running down her face. "It's a good thing that cat of hers doesn't know..."  
  
Haruka trailed off, her eyes fixed on the sliding glass doors of the Arcade. Usagi was walking past, in the middle of the three Starlights. Her eyes widened.  
  
"Rei." She said dangerously. "Please tell me Usagi is not sleeping with that arrogant little son of a bitch."   
  
"I would if I could."  
  
"He's dead." Haruka was up and out of the Arcade. Rei blinked and then chased after her.   
  
Rei wasn't as fast as the senshi of wind, but she had almost caught her when Haruka grabbed Seiya by the collar and shoved him up against the stucco wall of the Arcade.  
  
"Haruka!" Usagi exclaimed, as Seiya's brothers fell into automatic defensive stances. Her yell shook them out of it and gave Seiya time to hide the headset that had immediately appear on his head at the first feeling of danger.  
  
"Go away, Usagi." Haruka's eyes never left Seiya's face.   
  
"No, you're not going to fight him."  
  
Haruka didn't reply, she was too busy staring Seiya down. Seiya tensed, ready for the blow that was going to come.  
  
"Haruka, you leave him alone this instant. He hasn't done anything to you." Usagi demanded. "That's a fucking order."  
  
Haruka was so shocked she loosened her grip. "A what?"  
  
Usagi's voice was cold. "An order. I am not going to let you beat up on him just because you're jealous!" She latched onto Haruka's arm, the one that wasn't holding onto a very nervous Starlight. "Please, Haruka. I love him."  
  
This was as surprising news to Haruka as it was to Seiya. They both stared at her, jaws slightly slack.   
  
"You what?" Seiya whispered, very pale. Yaten and Taiki were staring at Usagi as well, out of sheer disbelief.  
  
"What on earth do you find attractive about the baka that much?" Yaten asked Haruka's question for her.   
  
"Because he cares for me without having any reason to." Usagi said quietly. "I don't even ask him to love me back. I just appreciate it. And I would appreciate it if you left him alone, Haruka."  
  
Rei was angered. She had not given Mamoru up to Usagi only to have Usagi throw it away. "You love him so much that you're off kissing women when he's not around?"  
  
Usagi let go of Haruka and turned to Rei, completely taken aback. "I what?"  
  
Yaten lost it and began laughing so hard he had to hold on to Taiki to keep from falling over, and Taiki looked distinctly amused. Seiya hid a smirk as Usagi turned bright red.  
  
"I saw you, a few moments ago!" Rei yelled.   
  
"Rei... you don't understand..." Usagi sputtered, trying to save herself. Haruka let go of Seiya.  
  
"Make us understand." She accused Usagi, who looked away. Seiya put his arms around Usagi, and flinched when Haruka started towards him.   
  
"I... can't." Usagi looked very sad, and she sighed. "I can't make you understand."   
  
Haruka glared at her, speaking untold volumes with that glare, feeling betrayed and hurt. "Why not?"  
  
Seiya looked at Haruka. "She would if she could, Haruka-kun."  
  
Haruka turned on him. "Aren't you angry? Your girlfriend was kissing someone else."  
  
Seiya shook his head calmly. "I'm not angry."  
  
This seemed to pacify Haruka as she stared at him curiously. "Why not?" She asked. Rei glared at her.  
  
"She wasn't kissing someone else." He retorted.   
  
"Let's go," Taiki said quietly, touching Seiya's shoulder.   
  
And they went, leaving a confused Haruka and a spitting-mad Rei. 


	2. Chapter Two The Bad Man's Little Girl

Touching Eden  
  
Chapter Two  
  
---  
  
Shorter, maybe, but I've got reasons ;D  
  
I love you all!  
  
---  
  
She winced. "She saw us. I don't want to go back. Take me to whatever planet you came from, I'll find your blasted princess with my crystal, I'm just so sick of the youma and the suspicion..."  
  
Seiya rubbed her small hand in-between his. "We can't take you away from your planet, Usagi. Your senshi would kill us."  
  
Her look of fury told him this was not the right thing to say.  
  
Yaten sat down beside Usagi. "Not that I wouldn't object to you finding the princess for us. Can you do that?"  
  
"I don't know. Probably. The ginzuishou is really good about stuff like that." She held out her hand and a soft glow shone, before a crystal dropped into the girl's hand from no where. The three men stared at it, for they had never seen it before.  
  
"I can't do it now, though." Usagi added, her fist closing around the crystal. "It's too soon after a battle. I'd probably die." She laughed.  
  
"Don't laugh about things like that, Usagi." Taiki chastised.   
  
"Your life is worth more than that."  
  
Usagi didn't look at Seiya. "Haruka's going to be after your blood from here on out, you know." She changed the subject quickly.  
  
Yaten crowed. "And Rei saw you guys kissing! Oh, that's just priceless." He paused, and cracked up again. "I mean, you girls." He apparently thought this was the funniest thing ever said.  
  
Seiya's eyes closed in an attempt to keep from choking his brother.   
  
Usagi smacked Yaten upside the head. "You're not the one that Rei is going to be branding a slut to the world!" She snapped angrily.   
  
There was a silence. Seiya seemed to be struggling with himself. "Did you mean what you said?" He asked finally. She gave him a searching look.   
  
"About Rei telling everyone I'm a slut? I meant it. She's probably raving about it to all the other senshi at the moment..."  
  
"No..." He swallowed. "About you loving me."  
  
Taiki immediately grabbed Yaten by the ponytail and dragged him off the couch and out of the room, to the silver-haired man's great protest. Usagi watched them go, her face even more pale than usual.  
  
There was a long silence.   
  
"If I did?" She inquired tentatively.  
  
He gave her a warm smile. "Then I would be very happy, Usagi." He embraced her tightly to him. "There are very few people I know of that would be willing to accept all sides of me."  
  
Usagi didn't comment. Finally, "I'll do my best to protect you from the senshi, Seiya. I can't promise you won't be ambushed in some alley by Uranus, but I'll do my best."  
  
He laughed. "I think I might be able to hold my own against her as long as I have the benefit of surprise. If things get really bad, the shock of me actually being a woman might just let me escape with my anatomy intact."  
  
Usagi giggled. "True, true. But then she'll probably just be even more angry when she finally does catch you. I won't always be around to shock her by ordering her away."  
  
Seiya looked mildly insulted. "You're forgetting I am a seasoned soldier, Usa-chan. I can hold my own long enough. I'm strong." He did not possess the total arrogance that would have made him declare he could kick Haruka's ass any day of the week. He knew better from watching the senshi fight.  
  
Usagi reached up and kissed his cheek lightly. "I'm aware of that. But I'm too used to the mother role. I want to protect you." She told him, with a funny expression on her face that made Seiya laugh.  
  
"I'm probably the only lover you'll ever take that you won't have to always protect." He did not miss the dark look that flashed, most out of place, on her lovely face.  
  
"You're probably right." She remarked lightly. "Destruction seems to follow in my wake... it's nice to love someone who I don't have to worry about every second of the day... even if I do anyway." She added impishly.  
  
"If you keep making me feel like you think of me as a child, I will have to kick Taiki and Yaten out of my bedroom where they are most certainly eavesdropping on us to show you exactly how much a child I am not, since you've apparently forgotten."  
  
Usagi eyed the door that the two young men had vanished into. "Why did they choose your bedroom?" She wondered out loud. Seiya opened his mouth to explain exactly why he thought, but she stopped him with a red face. "No, don't tell me."  
  
He laughed again. "Because they don't think, silly. What did you think I was going to say?" He teased her.  
  
A darkening of her blush only made him laugh harder.  
  
----  
  
Usagi went to school the next day with a very somber expression on her Lunarian features. She did not ignore her friends, but she was not as warm to them as she usually was. None of them were perplexed by this behavior, as they had all received Rei's telling of events.  
  
Minako cornered Usagi sometime after lunch, pulling her into a deserted restroom.  
  
"Usagi, what were you doing, kissing a Starlight?" She asked curiously. "We don't even know them very well."  
  
Usagi blushed faintly. "Minako, I'm in love with her." She knew from past experience there was absolutely no point in lying to Minako on matters of love.   
  
Minako's eyebrows raised. "You barely know her. We've only met half a dozen times, and for a few minutes each." The senshi became very serious and very intelligent, as she did when she was truly concerned.  
  
Usagi blushed a little darker. "I know her very well."  
  
"How?" Minako was truly concerned, and Usagi's heart softened a little.  
  
"Because I know who she really is, Minako. Her real form, not the senshi." She said, after a little hesitation. Minako's eyes widened, but Usagi continued. "Minako, I can't tell you who she is, but I can tell you I'm not cheating on Seiya and I do love him, too."  
  
The wheels in Minako's mind went to work. Reaching out carefully with the magic few people knew she possessed, she cautiously probed the walls around Usagi's heart until she found a crevice and slipped inside.  
  
Usagi watched as her friend's eyes closed and her breathing sped up. She could feel what Minako was doing, and knew she could throw the blonde out of her presence, but it was better she have a friend among the senshi.  
  
She waited, ignoring the small pangs that accompanied Minako's search. It was not the full-blown agony that would have come from someone less experienced, and that much Usagi appreciated, but it did not stop her from loosing her balance and nearly falling over when Minako started and suddenly pulled back.  
  
Her eyes opened, round and shocked.   
  
Usagi blushed again.   
  
"That is quite possibly the weirdest thing I have ever seen in my entire life." Minako looked very taken aback. "They can just switch back and forth?" Her face was getting a very bright shade of scarlet.  
  
Usagi kept the wicked smirk off her face. "Yes."  
  
Minako made a strangled noise. "That's got to be interesting." Her shock faded, replaced by the gossiping friend Usagi had always loved. "I want details." Minako grinned.  
  
Usagi stuck her tongue out. "Maybe I will, maybe I won't." She sniffed. "I've got at least a little bit of dignity left, even if Rei's telling everyone she can what a whore I am."  
  
Minako blinked. That word did not belong on her princess's lips. "She isn't saying that, exactly, just... well... okay, she's saying that. But she's angry, Usagi, and hurt. It isn't like you to hide things from us."  
  
Usagi was suddenly ashamed. "I know... you all liked Mamoru, and I was confused... Seiya and I fought so much, and it just sort of happened, and I didn't know what any of you would do... and... I'm just so sick of all of it!" Usagi exploded.   
  
Minako took a step back warily.  
  
Usagi looked away guiltily. "I'm sorry."  
  
Minako laid a comforting hand on Usagi's arm. "Don't be. we don't have any right to judge you. If you want to fly in the face of destiny, I'm all for it. Imagine Setsuna's face!"  
  
Usagi looked sour. "Setsuna and I already had a talk. A talk where I reminded her that it was flying in the face of destiny that I existed at all, as I killed myself during the fall of the Silver Millennia and I should have never been reborn."  
  
"You did what?" Minako found herself shocked once again. "Luna never told us that."  
  
"I don't know if Luna remembers or not. Or if Luna ever knew at all." Usagi muttered. "I don't really care."  
  
"Are you okay, Usagi?" Minako's face was one of apprehension.   
  
Usagi smiled. "Yeah, I guess I'm just in a bad mood."  
  
Something occurred to Minako. Something had been bothering her, and she just figured out what it was. She couldn't remember the last time Usagi had eaten in front of them. "Usagi, have you been eating?"  
  
By the small flush and the lowering of Usagi's eyes, Minako knew. "When was the last time you ate, Usagi?"  
  
"I had a sandwich earlier."  
  
"And before that?"  
  
Usagi shook her head. "I'm fine, Minako. I just haven't... nevermind. I already know I'm dehydrated." She sighed. "I just haven't felt like eating anything."  
  
"Are you sick? Maybe we should have Ami look you over... Usagi, that's really just not like you. With our upped metabolisms... if you don't eat, Usagi, you could just fall in the middle of a fight and we wouldn't be able to save you."  
  
"Fighter watches over me," Usagi said quietly.  
  
Minako quirked her eyebrow. "Haruka's going to end up kicking Fighter's ass one of these days, Usagi."  
  
Usagi nodded. "Did I mention that I've been training really hard lately? I might be able to help Fighter out when that happens."  
  
The bell rang. "Erk!" Minako yelped. "we'd better go. I won't tell the others." She told Usagi. Usagi grinned and hugged her, and they left the bathroom.  
  
As the door swung shut behind them, a very confused, very excited girl stepped out of one of the stalls, brushing her long, black hair out of her face.  
  
"I know Umino is going to want to hear about this!" She squealed and rushed off to find the school's walking encyclopedia.  
  
---  
  
After school, Usagi sought out Seiya, who had been waiting for her on the rooftop of the school. His brothers were no where to be seen, but the roof was occupied by the usual crowd that followed Seiya around the school. She was happy now that she had no reason to pretend she hated him.   
  
His eyes lit up. "Usa-chan," he said, with such warmth in his voice that several members of his fan club turned to stare daggers at the blonde girl.   
  
"Don't worry," one girl whispered confidently. "They totally hate each other."  
  
Her argument was thrown to the wind as Seiya kissed Usagi, pulling her against him.   
  
"That's some hatred, let me tell you!" A half-hysterical fangirl glowered. The first girl started crying.  
  
Usagi pulled back and grinned at Seiya, opening her mouth to tell Seiya about Minako, but a hand tapped on her shoulder, stopping her. She turned.  
  
A really bad feeling developed in her stomach.  
  
"Yes, Umino?"  
  
The boy's bright brown eyes were focused on her behind the huge lenses of his glasses with such concentration she took a step back out of sheer intimidation.  
  
"I knew it. I so knew it. You know the Sailor Senshi. This explains so much!"  
  
With heightened senses, Seiya could hear Usagi's heart sped up and her breathing stop.   
  
But she laughed. "What on earth makes you think that?"  
  
Umino waved his finger at her. "Ah-ah, Usagi, you know I have contacts and surveillance all over this school. I have suspected for quite some time now you have friends among the senshi!"  
  
Usagi laughed again. "Just because I'm such a klutz that I stumble into half their battles needing to be rescued. Check your facts, Umino. I gotta run!"  
  
She bolted so fast that Umino began to develop a new theory: Usagi was simply an alien who ate really fast and gossiped a lot.  
  
Seiya shot him a dirty look. "Now I have to catch up to her." He groaned, and started off after Usagi.  
  
Umino turned to one of the sobbing fangirls. "Did Kou Seiya just run after a *girl*?" He asked incredulously. In reply, the girl burst into full-blown tears.  
  
Umino turned a calculating glance at the stairwell where the two students had disappeared.   
  
"Well, time to go back to trying to prove Sailor V and Sailor Venus are the same person..." He muttered in defeat.  
  
---  
  
Seiya frowned when he saw Usagi duck down an alley some distance ahead, and his frown deepened when Super Sailor Moon darted back out. With a great leap, she was in the air and on the rooftops, racing in the direction of the harbor.  
  
Gathering his strength, he jumped, transformed in midair, and hit the rooftops just behind her. Somewhat surprised by her swiftness, it took all Fighter had to keep up with the blonde soldier, who ran without seemingly noticing she was even there.  
  
She made jumps Fighter had thought her incapable of making.  
  
"Sailormoon, what's going on?" She yelled.  
  
Another jump. "I sense something, and I don't like it."  
  
"Call the other senshi!"  
  
"No, not if it's what I think it is. Who it is. I can't take the chance."  
  
Fighter reached out and caught Sailormoon around the waist, dragging them both to a stop. "What are you talking about?"  
  
"For a long time, I've been feeling little flashes of energy. I was never able to grasp onto them before now. At first, I thought maybe it was just the other senshi training... it's that faint... but it's stronger now, and I want to know what the hell it is."  
  
"Why not call for backup? You don't know what it could be, Usagi. You could get hurt."  
  
Sailormoon gave her a flippant smile. "I'll live." She kissed her lover's cheek. "Later, remind me to make it up to you."  
  
Fighter was on the verge to throwing the soldier over her shoulder and marching off in the other direction. "What if you're not there for me to remind you!"  
  
She shook her head. "If my suspicions are right, you're the only one in danger."  
  
Fighter's eyebrows raised, but Sailormoon had neatly jumped off the side of the building and began to walk calmly to the longest pier, where storm clouds where gathering suspiciously.  
  
A flash of lightning and a clap of thunder make Fighter jump and slightly deafened her for a second. She saw the figure descend from the clouds but did not hear what Sailormoon called to it as she pulled out her scepter.  
  
Fighter ran closer as a young man unfolded himself from a dark, encompassing cloak. The scepter vanished from Sailormoon's hand and she rushed into the arms of the man, and Fighter felt a very strong pang of jealousy.  
  
He was a rather good looking young man, with very dark, blue hair and eyes that shone a true blue. Fighter was seriously pondering if Usagi just liked men with dark hair and blue eyes and no other reason when another person appeared beside the first.  
  
It was a little girl, with pink hair in odango, maybe about twelve, thirteen years old. Fighter was struck by the sheer resemblance the girl had to Usagi.  
  
After Sailormoon had hugged the little girl, she motioned Fighter forward, who approached with some reservation.  
  
"Sailor Star Fighter, this is Saffiru, and this is Usagi Tsukino. Call her Chibi-usa." She introduced. "And this is Sailor Star Fighter. My partner." She said quite smoothly. Saffiru's face was one of interest, but Fighter didn't get to ask why because the pink haired girl had flung herself at her.  
  
"Seiya! You look good without your scars, just like you told me! I didn't believe you. Have you and Mama been getting along?" She asked suspiciously.  
  
Fighter stared at her. "Who's your mother?" She asked uncertainly.  
  
Chibi-usa sent a hurt look to Sailormoon, who was looking at the sky with a very misplaced expression on her face while Saffiru laughed, throwing his arm across Sailormoon's shoulders with such familiarity Fighter found herself a little curious.  
  
"Well..." Sailormoon said, still looking at the sky. "I'm her mother."  
  
Fighter nearly fell over. "What?" She asked, while Chibi-usa smirked. "Who's the father?" She asked, really not wanting to hear the name that was evitable to come.  
  
Sailormoon turned to stare at Saffiru. "Yes, Saffiru, why don't you tell Fighter who the father was, as I have been lied to TWICE about it!" She said angrily.  
  
Fighter looked at Sailormoon questionably.  
  
"Well, first I was under orders to tell her that Mamoru was my father." Chibi-usa explained, directing the three adults to look at her. "And Endymion was under similar orders. The next time I came back, I was to let slip to my Mother that Mamoru wasn't my father, and that some other man my mother hadn't met yet was my father."   
  
"And then about three months ago, Pluto kindly told me that Chibi-usa had been lying, then, too, and wouldn't tell me who my own daughter's father was, just that I'd met him before." The soldier was steaming. "She also told me that I'd been seeing Chibi-usa in a few months."  
  
Sailormoon turned to glare at Saffiru. "That does not tell me how you're alive."  
  
"You brought most of us back, Sailormoon, when you took the throne." Saffiru explained. "Once you figured out how do it without killing yourself, that is. I believe that Nephrite was the first one you brought back."  
  
Sailormoon didn't look as surprised as she should have been. "Yeah, that sounds like something I would do. Now, do I get a straight answer on who the brat's father is?" She demanded.  
  
"Puu said we could tell you now without you freaking out." Chibi-usa said happily.   
  
There was a silence.  
  
"Well?" Sailormoon was growing impatient, and Fighter wondered if it was good for her to be here.  
  
Saffiru suddenly looked nervous, entailed with warnings from the Neo Queen on what a spitfire her younger self had been. "You had me come to tell you in person," he started apologetically.  
  
Sailormoon stared at him. "You are not the father of Chibi-usa."  
  
Saffiru averted his eyes. "I could be."  
  
Sailormoon was speechless. "I had sex with you?" She blurted, forgetting Chibi-usa was there.   
  
Saffiru looked a little affronted. "As well as Demando, and... nevermind!" He was growing red. "You're not married, so it doesn't really matter, and I don't think that'd stop you if you were!"  
  
"I'm not married?" Sailormoon asked.  
  
Chibi-usa glowered. "You're giving too much information." She accused her father.   
  
Saffiru looked at a nonexistent watch on his wrist. "Oh, damn, it's time for me to go..."  
  
Sailormoon grabbed the sleeve of the dark uniform the man wore. "No, you're coming along with Fighter and me to have a milkshake." She smiled at him. "I might as well start getting to know you better now, and besides, you could visit Petz while you're here."  
  
Saffiru smiled back. "Thank you, Your Highness."  
  
She shot him a funny look. "If you called me that while we were... I'm most certain I would've slapped you. So call me Usagi." She powered down and took a hold of Chibi-usa's hand.   
  
Fighter hesitated, and powered down herself. He had no idea what to make of the news that Usagi had slept with other men and not even known about it.  
  
Seeing the confused look on Seiya's face, Usagi shook her head. "They're from the future, Seiya."  
  
"Oh!" Seiya felt a little stupid, and then a nagging disappointment settled over him. Maybe they weren't together in the future?  
  
She noticed this new expression, but knew she couldn't help him. only Saffiru could, most likely, and although she was sure she could probably coax information out of the handsome man, she knew that things would work out the way they should, and that endangering it was not a good idea.  
  
"Don't tell the other senshi Mamoru isn't your father," Usagi said, as they were walking off the long, wooden pier. "I want them to sweat a little."  
  
----  
  
I admit it. I hate Mamoru, I want him to suffer, and I don't want him to be the father of Chibiusa. However I didn't want Seiya to be, either. Might as well make it someone no one else ever considered!  
  
Yeah, yeah, flame me in the review box. 


	3. Reoccuring Pages

Touching Eden  
  
Chapter Three: Reoccuring Pages  
  
Black Beyond  
  
Minna, new email addy: madamehamlethotmail.com  
  
I will continue to check my old email address, though, for a long time, probably.  
  
Here's your third chapter. I am really sorry it took so long, but life sucks and I kept loosing bits of the story thanks to my school's computers. But I'm back on track and after loosing twenty pages of Haunting Mists (GO READ IT!!) I'm starting to get over it. :/ I am really pissed about loosing that, though...  
  
Anyway! Here's your fic, love ya!  
  
A very naked Princess Serenity hovered in midair, weeping, as her wings beat slowly to maintain her height. She had not yet made up with Rei, and now it was too late, for Rei was gone. All of the senshi were dead and gone, and she was left alone with the Starlights, who waited on the ground below, staring at the grieving princess.  
  
"Usagi..." Fighter murmured. Healer did something very out of character and hugged her sister. It was then Fighter noticed that both of them were crying. A glance over at Maker let him know tears were running down her cheeks as well.  
  
"Why are you crying, Odango Atama?"  
  
The three Starlights jumped out of their skin as the taken star seeds appeared and circled around the princess, before dipping down to float just about the ground before the three standing warriors. They shimmered, and slowly, the form of each senshi appeared, whole and alive. Serenity stared, still crying, as joy slowly crept across her face. She was about to fly down and tackle Rei to apologize profusely, when another voice stopped her.  
  
"Usako..."  
  
Her eyes widened and her face went pale. Only one person had ever called her that. She wanted to slap herself. Of course, if the others came back he would as well!   
  
He appeared in front of her, Chibi-Chibi perched on his arm. She stared at him as he opened his arms to her. Below, Fighter stiffened, her face becoming a mask.   
  
The senshi were torn between watching their princess and watching the Starlight. Well, most of them were. Uranus kept her eyes appreciatively on her princess. Neptune was only torn between watching the unfolding drama or slapping Uranus upside the head.  
  
After a few seconds of Serenity's hesitation, Endymion frowned. "Usako, what's wrong?"  
  
Without response, Serenity promptly fainted. Fighter beat Uranus to the punch and caught the princess, holding her protectively.   
  
"Get her out of here, Fighter." Mercury hissed, and Fighter bolted, grateful for the suggestion.  
  
Endymion growled and started after her, but surprisingly, it was Mars who stopped him.  
  
"Endymion-sama, we have a lot to talk about..." She watched the other Starlights follow their sister out of the corner of her eye with a sigh.  
  
You owe me big, Usagi, she thought at the unconscious princess.  
  
----  
  
Fighter waited until she was several blocks away from the demolished stadium, until she was hidden safely in the trees of a park, one of a few in downtown Tokyo. She dehenshined and looked at the princess for a moment before shaking her softly.  
  
"Usagi, Usa-chan, you have to wake up and power down. I need to take you to the hospital."  
  
He continued to shake Usagi, ignoring as the blood from scrapes and shallow cuts on her body began to stain his clothing. Finally, Usagi moaned and with a flash of dazzling light, she was back in her school uniform. Seiya sighed with relief.  
  
"Usagi, are you okay?" He started as she clung onto him, shaking with tearless sobs.   
  
"No... I don't want him to be back." She whispered.  
  
"Fighter!" Seiya looked up to see his sisters approaching cautiously. Sailor Venus and Sailor Saturn had followed them, and were looking very concerned.  
  
Seeing Usagi was conscious, Venus laughed.   
  
"What a way to get out of a confrontation, Usagi! I'll remember that one." She joked. Usagi giggled weakly.   
  
"I need to get her to the hospital. She's got some cuts I want to be looked at," Seiya explained. Saturn smiled at him and stepped forward shyly.  
  
"I can heal her, if you want." She said very quietly. Seiya's face brightened and moved slightly so Saturn could get to the crying girl, who ceased her sobs and looked at Saturn.  
  
"Sorry to cry, Hotaru-chan." She sniffled. Saturn smiled and placed her hands over Usagi's stomach, and closed her eyes in concentration, not replying. A soft glow that grew covered Usagi as she clutched to Seiya, who felt a slight tickling sensation as Saturn healed his lover.  
  
Saturn stumbled back and the glow vanished. Usagi sat up quickly and caught the senshi by the shoulders. Saturn opened her eyes.  
  
"I'm okay." She nodded and stood up, and offered her gloved hand to Usagi, who took it and stood up. Seiya stood up beside her and the four transformed senshi powered down.  
  
"Where's Mamoru?" Usagi asked Minako, who bit her lip.  
  
"Mars is talking to him. From the expression on his face that I caught before we ran after you guys, I don't think he's taking the news well."  
  
Usagi sighed. "I guess he'll be telling all of Tokyo what a slut I am, too." Over the past few months, Rei had cooled down considerably, but the two girls had not yet made up. They had seen each other only for senshi meetings and for battles, and the tension between them had been noticed by the tabloid reporters always lurking near.   
  
The tabloids had been having a field day with Seiya Kou's new relationship, along with the sparks between Sailormoon and Sailor Star Fighter, as they gave up on concealing their relationship. Hardly a day went by when Usagi or Seiya's face, in one form or another, wasn't splashed up over two or three major tabloids, with rude speculations.  
  
"He won't. I'll beat him up first." Seiya succeeded in making Usagi laugh.  
  
"I don't know if you could." Usagi said thoughtfully, after she had stopped laughing. "It's not a fight I want to see happen, though. I'd rather there not be any more blood split over me."  
  
In reality, she was referring to the several fights she had been baited into at school over her boyfriend. Many, many angered, disappointed teenage girls were only too happy to try to take their frustrations out on Usagi, who used the fights as another training exercise, even if she almost never won them.  
  
Usagi signed again and hugged Seiya, hard, as though her sanity depended on it.   
  
"Mamoru will be trying to catch up with you, Usagi." Hotaru said, after a few minutes. "If you don't want to see him yet, you'd better go with Seiya."  
  
Usagi frowned. "I don't want to hide like I've done something wrong."  
  
"Then we get to wait right here until he tracks you down." Taiki didn't sound happy at the prospect.   
  
"At least the senshi are behind Usagi now." Yaten muttered. "If what's his face tries to kill Seiya, they might stop him." He looked doubtful, however.  
  
Minako laughed nervously. "Usagi's pretty formidable on her own."  
  
"Usagi's exhausted." Usagi retorted. "Usagi couldn't take on a chipmunk right now if she wanted to." For the first time, Minako noticed how heavily her friend was leaning on Seiya's arm and winced.   
  
She looked over to Hotaru and was a little surprised to see the glaive in the young girl's hands. The other three also noticed it, but they didn't say anything.  
  
Minako's communicator beeped. She quickly flipped it open and was greeted by a high-strung Sailor Jupiter.  
  
"Minako, he just ran after you guys, the minute Mars mentioned Usagi was sleeping with someone. Apparently she never gave Mamoru the honor."  
  
Seiya looked sharply at Usagi, who was finding the branches above them quite fascinating.  
  
Minako blushed. "Too much information. How angry was he?"  
  
"Stupid question. He's beyond pissed. Uranus and Neptune went after him, but if you guys don't want to be impaled by roses..."  
  
"Usagi refuses to hide." Minako sighed.  
  
"Damn skippy." Usagi murmured.  
  
Jupiter snorted. "Then you guys had better be prepared for a really good fight."  
  
"There won't be a fight." Usagi had opened her own communicator. "If I have to kill myself, there won't be a fight."  
  
Jupiter looked at her questionably. "What are you going to do?"  
  
"I don't know."  
  
"Well, you'd better decide really qui--"  
  
Taiki spun around at the sound of breaking branches and crunching leaves.   
  
"Shit." Yaten blinked. Hotaru marched forward, and just as Tuxedo Kamen burst through the foliage, he found himself nose to point with the sharp weapon.  
  
He froze, and then scowled. "Move aside, Hotaru."  
  
"I cannot do that, Tuxedo Kamen-sama." Hotaru's voice was the deadly calm voice the senshi had come to associate with danger. "I serve the princess."  
  
His face flushed behind the mask. His eyes found Seiya and darkened.   
  
"Get your hands off her." He barked.   
  
"His hands aren't on me, mine are on him. So if you're going to be yelling, yell at me." Usagi sounded very, very tired, and looked very fragile.   
  
Seiya met Tuxedo Kamen's gaze. "I'll fight for her."  
  
His brothers looked startled. Seiya usually tried to avoid fights.   
  
"There will be no fight." Usagi said softly, with all the vehemence she could muster.   
  
"Stay out of this, Usako." Tuxedo Kamen was pissed.   
  
Usagi growled. It was a sound that made Seiya start and look at her. He made sure she could stand on her own before stepping away, her aura flaring up. He could not see it, but he was close enough to feel it.  
  
He was more than worried now. She was going to end up killing herself.  
  
Looking at her senshi, he saw they knew it too. Minako had her henshin wand in hand, and Hotaru kept her glaive trained on the prince of Earth.  
  
"Tuxedo Kamen, stop it!" Minako hissed. "She just used the ginzuishou, you KNOW she's exhausted beyond belief, and you're doing this to her out of jealousy!"  
  
He stopped, and looked at Minako, a little ashamed, but still furious. "I won't just give up."  
  
"You damn well better." Yaten was just as angry as the prince. "She's tired, she's miserable, and she doesn't need this bullshit. Especially not from you, the subject of half her nightmares! Leave her the hell alone!" He was working himself up into a regular fit. Tuxedo Kamen had turned to stare at Yaten in disbelief.  
  
"This isn't any of your business."  
  
Yaten's eyes widened at the insult. "Why, you son of a bitch--"  
  
"Stop it!" Usagi yelled. "Just stop it. I can't do this right now." The air crackled around her.   
  
"Usagi, calm down." Gathering the suicidal part of him, Seiya grabbed her quickly and held her close, ignoring the stinging feeling as the static electricity hit him.   
  
Usagi sagged in his arms. Looking down, he saw she had passed out again.  
  
He took his courage. "Taiki, I'm taking her home." She was so light, so very light. She hadn't been eating again, Seiya realized. If she weighed a hundred pounds he'd give up being a senshi. Skin and bones... she would never survive the aftermath of this won war if she didn't start taking care of herself.  
  
"No, you're not taking her anywhere." Tuxedo Kamen would have charged the man, had the glaive not been glaring him in the face.   
  
"She's half dead, Mamoru." Hotaru's voice was frigid. "Go on, Seiya-san."  
  
Tuxedo Kamen made a noise of angry disgust, but the glaive was suddenly pressed against his neck. Seiya retreated once more with Usagi in his arms. His brothers followed, sending cautious looks at the enraged soldier as they left.  
  
When they were gone, Tuxedo Kamen's transformation lapsed and he turned his face away from Hotaru, who let the glaive fall back to her side.  
  
"I'm sorry, Mamoru. But my princess has made her decisions. If they are mistakes, they are hers to make."  
  
"Hotaru, I love her..." Mamoru's voice was choked.   
  
Minako hugged him, tentatively at first, but when she saw he wouldn't attack her, she hugged him harder. "I know, Mamoru."  
  
---  
  
Maybe not as long as usual, but I'm trying. Review! I love you! 


End file.
